Trunch Wildlife Watch August/September 09
The editor of this topic is Anne Horsfield who has been writing Wildlife Watch articles for the Trunch Mardle for several years (contact 01263 720649).
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TRUNCH WILDLIFE WATCH, by Anne Horsfield
August/September 2009
The last week of July and the first week of August saw an explosion of butterflies in our garden. When the sun was on the Buddleia bushes the purple flower spikes were covered with Peacocks and Whites, all avidly drinking nectar. There must have been twenty or more Peacocks per bush and we have two big bushes. I don’t know if the Peacocks were ‘home grown’ or if they migrated here from the continent. Let’s hope they all find somewhere secure to hibernate through the winter and then start a new generation in the spring.
About twelve years ago we were at Horsey beach enjoying the seascape and sun. Peter then realised that Small Tortoiseshell butterflies were flying from the sea, up the beach and over the sea wall onto the dunes. About one butterfly every ten seconds.
We followed them into the dunes and found them hungrily nectaring on vetches and other flowers. They must have come from Denmark/the Continent – a long flight over the sea – so they must have been in need of a re-fuel!
This summer there has been ‘invasions’ from Painted Lady butterflies and, more recently, Ladybirds. We saw many of the latter at Mundesley and still have some in the garden. They seem to like the washing on the line as they each leave a signature orange stain! I hope these will wash out!
The sudden profusion of butterflies also happened in Rectory Meadow. The many Buddleia bushes were smothered! Wonderful to see. In contrast to the large numbers of Peacocks, Painted Ladies and Whites we were just as thrilled to see a few individuals of Common Blues and Small Skippers – two species of small butterfly.
Amongst all this wealth of butterflies there is one species missing. The Red Admiral. I recorded seeing one on June 14th and then none until August 12th. Very strange, as they are usually so common. We may see a late summer emergence when the Michaelmas Daisies flower.
As the butterfly count increased in the garden the bird count decreased. Now we mainly have juveniles as the adults are hiding away while they moult. Dragonflies have been emerging from ponds and they patrol around the trees catching midges and other insects. We have seen a Common Darter female laying eggs in our pond, so assuring the next generation.
Swallows
Most of our swallows have left for southern regions in Africa where there will new generations of insects for them to feed on. They do not like flying long distances over the sea so they go towards France and Spain and cross over the Straits of Gibraltar. They travel in great flocks and sadly many get shot or caught in nets in the Pyrenees for ‘sport’ or for ‘food’. The pickled breast meat of migrating birds is a considered a great delicacy in expensive restaurants so locals can make money. This problem also occurs in the Mediterranean islands. Needless to say conservation organisations are trying to stop this hateful trade.
The swallows’ journey can take them over the Sahara and the equatorial forests and then onto the wide savannahs of East Africa. Here they can feed again and recover. Some go further to South Africa.
Some years ago I had a holiday in the Serengeti and had a day in the vast Ngorongoro Crater – a vast volcanic crater with sides 3000 feet high. Down on the crater floor there are many habitats and plenty of water and food for the great variety of wildlife there. Elephants, hippos, a rhino with young, buffaloes, antelopes, lions, cheetahs, jackals and many birds. Flocks of storks and flamingos, colonies of weavers birds, all sorts of ducks, egrets with buffaloes, kites in the air but the commonest species was the swallow. I went in February and they were swooping low over the grass and water feeding avidly on the many insects. They were making up their fat reserves ready for their migration north in March and April.
That day in the crater was one of the special days of my life. In all we saw 76 species of bird and got so close to lions and other big animals. Quite wonderful and much better than the TV.